Complete Coopers Brewery IPA Beer Kit

I have this kit coming into day from Amazon.com

Is there anything I could add to boost the OG so that I get a stronger product?

Perhaps a little LME from my local shop?

Yeah,lme or dme.If you want to dry it and lose body you could use sugars but i usually stay away from those,im a like some body kinda guy.

I think that's a no-boil kit, right? Just mix it up and add yeast? Those kits are called "Kit and a kilo"- the kit and a kilo of sugar or extract added to it?

Boiling a no-boil kit changes the character of it- the hops flavor and aroma will be changed and then it'll be more bitter.

Adding more fermentables without adding more hops will cause it to be unbalanced and not very much like an IPA at all. But if you add hops, you'll have to boil it or at least the water because hops oils only isomerize when boiling.

If you're interested in tweaking a kit, you could try some better kits that would allow you to customize them more easily and with better results. I'm not a fan of Coopers at all, only having done one batch in the past. For just a few dollars more, a quality kit can be had. The canned extract has a "twang" to it, and the prehopping means you're stuck with the bittering/hops flavor/aroma that it comes with. The big boost of corn sugar gives it a thin and sort of weird cider taste. The yeast that comes with the kit is generally not very high quality, so maybe a better yeast would help it.

Thanks it came today.
Contents:
1-Can IPA Extract
1-kilo Dextros
500g Light Dry Malt
7g-Cooper's IPA yeast #09810

A friend did this using 3 lbs (approx) of LME and it came out OK but it's still only 2 weeks in the bottle. Time will tell.
I could pick up a different yeast tomorrow? Maybe some hops and a bit of LME.

Yup it's the no boil stuff. The whole package including boxes weight is just under 10 lps.
Can't figure why some companies would charge $36 to get something like this to Hawai`i.
Don' believe FEDEX charged that much for 10 lbs.
I realize there is a handling charge involved, but......

I made one of the cooper IPAs a few weeks ago, Iv had it in the keg about a week I'll probably put it in the fridge and hook it up for next wkend. It tasted like it was pretty hoppy as it comes.

Think I'll go down to the brew shop and pick up "stuffs" for a red ale and do the "boil". This will be the 4th Coopers kite I've done or helped w/so I'm ready for the next step.

I made this kit using Cooper's Authentic IPA recipe:

http://www.coopers.com.au/the-brewers-guild/how-to-brew/strong/authentic-ipa

Followed the directions exact. Only addition was to dry hop with 1oz of Cascade. It came out decent and there was some hop presence but I found it to be more like a slighlty hoppy English Bitter.

Mine did lack a little body so I would recommend adding 8oz of Maltodextrin to the recipe above.

Everything went smooth I think. Well up until I added the DME to the boiling wort.
Man that stuff turns to a gooy mess the wort really has to be BOILING before it mixes in w/the rest of the wort.

It was hard to get a OG as there was a lot of foam on the top before I added the yeast. Didn't have a turky baster to take a sample so I had to drop hydrometer in the primary. Looks to be about 1.045 which is normal I guess.


Now hope no supper hot Hawaiian days for a few weeks. I'll be using blocks of ice in a tub if it warms up.

zyx345 said:

I made this kit using Cooper's Authentic IPA recipe:

http://www.coopers.com.au/the-brewers-guild/how-to-brew/strong/authentic-ipa

Followed the directions exact. Only addition was to dry hop with 1oz of Cascade. It came out decent and there was some hop presence but I found it to be more like a slighlty hoppy English Bitter.

Mine did lack a little body so I would recommend adding 8oz of Maltodextrin to the recipe above.

Click to expand...

I stuck to the recipe that came w/the kit. The directions online are a bit different. Wow, dump the LME into the primary and add hot water. Hum, from my adventure hot water would just produce a big gum ball in the primary. Looks to me like boiling is needed.

C-Rider said:

Everything went smooth I think. Well up until I added the DME to the boiling wort.
Man that stuff turns to a gooy mess the wort really has to be BOILING before it mixes in w/the rest of the wort.

It was hard to get a OG as there was a lot of foam on the top before I added the yeast. Didn't have a turky baster to take a sample so I had to drop hydrometer in the primary. Looks to be about 1.045 which is normal I guess.


Now hope no supper hot Hawaiian days for a few weeks. I'll be using blocks of ice in a tub if it warms up.

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I usually add dme before i bring it to a boil it will mix better in room temp water, a wisk is nice too, i always steep or mash then add more water then the dme bring to a boil then add 60 min hops.

jonmohno said:

I usually add dme before i bring it to a boil it will mix better in room temp water, a wisk is nice too, i always steep or mash then add more water then the dme bring to a boil then add 60 min hops.

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Wish it had said that on the box or in the little Coopers instruction sheet.

Any way within 12 hours The airlock was bubbling every 3 seconds. Wart temp was 80 F. Put the primary in a big tub and added ice yesterday afternoon. Also wrapped a wet towel over the bucket.

C-Rider said:

Thanks it came today.
Contents:
1-Can IPA Extract
1-kilo Dextros
500g Light Dry Malt
7g-Cooper's IPA yeast #09810

A friend did this using 3 lbs (approx) of LME and it came out OK but it's still only 2 weeks in the bottle. Time will tell.
I could pick up a different yeast tomorrow? Maybe some hops and a bit of LME.

Yup it's the no boil stuff. The whole package including boxes weight is just under 10 lps.
Can't figure why some companies would charge $36 to get something like this to Hawai`i.
Don' believe FEDEX charged that much for 10 lbs.
I realize there is a handling charge involved, but......

Click to expand...

Ok,I've worked with the Cooper's kits (I use the term loosely). The "09810" isn't the number code of the yeast,it's a Julian date-98th day of 2010. Just thought you'd like to know. The light dry malt (in other words,plain light DME),does cake up. Just keep stirring,it'll dissolve. You can use it in a boil. But this kit has NO bittering hop separately done.
The dextrose is intended to dry it out a little,not just more ABV. But it should boost the hops a little.? I've found the Yeast works a lot better in a small starter,or at least re-hydrated. Starts a lot faster & cleaner. Let's see..what else?
And watch those primary temps! Cooper's stuff can come out very clean if you do that while being patient & let the yeast have all the time it needs to reach FG & clean up. Let it age in the bottles for at least 3-4 weeks,then 5 days in the fridge. And prime correctly as well. I just don't get any of these cidery,sour,etc flavors everyone blames on all extract kits. Especially Cooper's. Extract brewing is easier in one respect to get started. But require a lot of attention to all the little details to get it too come out good.
Just like any other system of brewing. So if yours doesn't taste right,blame the brewer-not the brew. Kinda the same as we used to say,"hate the game.not the player".

unionrdr said:

Ok,I've worked with the Cooper's kits (I use the term loosely). The "09810" isn't the number code of the yeast,it's a Julian date-98th day of 2010. Just thought you'd like to know. The light dry malt (in other words,plain light DME),does cake up. Just keep stirring,it'll dissolve. You can use it in a boil. But this kit has NO bittering hop separately done.
The dextrose is intended to dry it out a little,not just more ABV. But it should boost the hops a little.? I've found the Yeast works a lot better in a small starter,or at least re-hydrated. Starts a lot faster & cleaner. Let's see..what else?
And watch those primary temps! Cooper's stuff can come out very clean if you do that while being patient & let the yeast have all the time it needs to reach FG & clean up. Let it age in the bottles for at least 3-4 weeks,then 5 days in the fridge. And prime correctly as well. I just don't get any of these cidery,sour,etc flavors everyone blames on all extract kits. Especially Cooper's. Extract brewing is easier in one respect to get started. But require a lot of attention to all the little details to get it too come out good.
Just like any other system of brewing. So if yours doesn't taste right,blame the brewer-not the brew. Kinda the same as we used to say,"hate the game.not the player".

Click to expand...

Agreed - especially on fermentation temps. I have made NASTY coopers kits before solely because of fermentation temps.

What I would do: Use a different yeast. I detest coopers ale yeast for some reason. I made a coopers IPA kit that turned out good doing the following:

- Boil 1 gallon water, add 1 oz cascade. Boil for 10 mins.
- Turn off heat, disolve DME / Canned Extract, bring to boil, after hot break turn off heat.
- Mix with cold water to get to desired volume in primary (careful, do not add the HOT mixture first or you might burn your fermentor)
- Pitch US-05 or Notty if temp at 70F or lower.
- Ferment at 62F or so

Yum!

Temp of the wort/ale after all was added to the primary was about 80F. That's when I added the yeast. (thanks for the info on the numbers)
Yesterday after about 20 hours in I took another reading and it was still 80. So I put the primary in a big plastic tub w/two 1/2 g of ice. covered the whole mess w/a wet towel.
This afternoon got a clean turkey baster took a sample and also temp.
Temp was down to 75F and the SG was down to 1.018 from 1.045 Monday evening.
I think I can hold it at 75 now w/the ice.

C-Rider said:

Temp of the wort/ale after all was added to the primary was about 80F. That's when I added the yeast. (thanks for the info on the numbers)
Yesterday after about 20 hours in I took another reading and it was still 80. So I put the primary in a big plastic tub w/two 1/2 g of ice. covered the whole mess w/a wet towel.
This afternoon got a clean turkey baster took a sample and also temp.
Temp was down to 75F and the SG was down to 1.018 from 1.045 Monday evening.
I think I can hold it at 75 now w/the ice.

Click to expand...

Ok, well it will be beer for sure - it will be a bit gamey, or estery given your fermention temp. However, it will be beer!!!

This might be hard in your climate, but you NEED to try to ferment below 70F. 60-65 is best. This will make your beer go from "yeah, its ok homebrew" to being "wow this is good beer!!"

Yea living in Hawai`i does have some disadvantages. Not many, but a few

Placed my primary in the black tub, added two 1/2 gallons of ice and the tub temp is 66 F and the ale in the primary is 67 F. The whole mess is wrapped w/a wet towel. I've been changing the ice twice a day.



Oh yea the tub is sitting out under the back deck. Sun never shines there. Out side temp is now about 80 F at noon.

C-Rider said:

Placed my primary in the black tub, added two 1/2 gallons of ice and the tub temp is 66 F and the ale in the primary is 67 F. The whole mess is wrapped w/a wet towel. I've been changing the ice twice a day.

Oh yea the tub is sitting out under the back deck. Sun never shines there. Out side temp is now about 80 F at noon.

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WOO HOO Six days in the primary, just check the brew.
OG = 1.008 Temp is 67 and it's been holding around that since I started w/the ice. Tasted it to day w/the sample OG. Hmmmm flat of course but looks like this is going to be a winner. ABV now is 5.4 approx.

It's been about 2.5 weeks and we bottled today. I think the marks on my fermenting bucket are off. Gotta check it before the next brew. The reason I say is we got 53 bottles today.

W/the tub I've been holding the temp on avg about 65*. Lately it only needs 1/2 gal block of ice every 24 hours. I put it in in the morning ant the temp which was up to say 68 over night drops to 61 really fast. It then slowly warms as the ice melts.

Of course we tasted it today and 3 of us say it's going to be GOOD. Nice hoppy taste. Now at least 3 weeks in the Colman cooler at 70*

OG was 45 FG was 08 ABV 5.6%

Me thinks I'm happy! Thanks for all the advise.